Trending with Christ

Among the myriad of email spam this morning, one subject line caught my attention: “…See What’s Trending!”

It hooked me. With a mouse click, the bold, bright colors of my favorite craft store splashed across the monitor, enticing me to “create and decorate”... with the newest trends. Frankly, it took a couple minutes to reign in my eagerness for something new, and tap back into the sense of contentment I’m experiencing right now.

Isn’t that the main thrust of advertising, whether overt or subliminal - to get us to purchase something new and improved?And how about life? How easily are we dissatisfied with our circumstances and our blessings? How often are we susceptible to seeking comfort, joy and peace from a variety of sources, rather than pressing into Christ?

Last Sunday was Easter, and all of our preparations are over. The delicious ham dinner was enjoyed by our friends, but the house is empty again. The extra table leaf is stored back in the closet, and all the dishes are washed and put away. So, will I linger in the delightful sharing of Christ’s resurrection with loved ones, or be enticed to hunt for something else to fill my heart?

As Resurrection people, freed from the bondage of sin in Christ, we face choices every minute of every day. Will we focus on the mind-transforming truth of scripture, or be led along the wide path of self-indulgence and dissatisfaction? As a believer in need of discernment, it’s essential that I listen carefully to the messages our culture streams on a continual basis.

“Trending” is a hip word that stirs emotion and stokes desire for something fresh, new and exciting. I couldn’t help reacting to the power of the message, and yet the age-old, time-tested truth of the Gospel was close at hand. The apostle Paul counseled his spiritual son Timothy with these words: “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6

When I practice contentment it’s easier to follow Christ’s commands to love God first - with all my heart, soul and mind - and then love my neighbor as myself. Matthew 22:36-39

That’s where my focus needs to be. Though creating and decorating jazz me, I pray that the trends I desire are new applications of God’s Word. May I be intent on loving others, not on acquiring temporal things that rust, fade or are taken away.

How about you?